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Stagecoach West/South West/South Wales - Fleet News & Discussion

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carlberry

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Stagecoach Bristol unlikely to be short of deckers come mid-June. In today's VOSA Bus Service registrations for the West of England T/A are temporary TT revisions due to COVID-19 for Stagecoach West (Bristol) routes 3, 3B, 11, 84, 85, 462, 622 and 625, all wef 29-Mar-2020.

Also thrown in is the full cancellation of both legs (Newport - Chepstow and Chepstow - Bristol) of the Severn Express and also full cancellation of the X14 Chepstow - Cribbs Causeway wef 14-Jun-2020. Whether or not this is temporary is unclear but I get the impression that Newport - Chepstow - Bristol commuters will soon be finding another way to get to work.

Dave
The 14 June date suggests this is a permanent cancellation and it's just a good time to bury bad news, I'm surprised they've gone for the full kill of the whole thing; I was expecting just the X14. However I suspect, in the background, operators are making plans for ways to cut costs in the longer term once things return to a 'new normal' and Stagecoach have realised why First were quite happy to get shot of it.
 
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Dhassell

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Stagecoach confirming SEV and X14 to go from June 13th...
We're sorry to confirm that our Severn Express and X14 services between Newport, Chepstow and Bristol will be withdrawn from Sunday 14 June 2020.

Since September we've worked hard to manage a service that costs far more to operate than it collects in customer revenue. We took action in January to stop running trips carrying the fewest people, prioritising the busiest parts of the service. Unfortunately, through to February the remaining buses continued to run at a loss of more than £5,000 per week. This loss is no longer sustainable and is preventing investment in the rest of our network.

We're sorry for the impact this decision will have on the small number of regular customers travelling with us. We will continue to run our existing emergency timetable through to a last day of service on Saturday 13 June.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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The 14 June date suggests this is a permanent cancellation and it's just a good time to bury bad news, I'm surprised they've gone for the full kill of the whole thing; I was expecting just the X14. However I suspect, in the background, operators are making plans for ways to cut costs in the longer term once things return to a 'new normal' and Stagecoach have realised why First were quite happy to get shot of it.
Stagecoach confirming SEV and X14 to go from June 13th...

The X14 always looked like a temporary sop to people. I am saddened but not surprised as when I saw ones arriving at Cribbs off peak (granted not a scientific study), they weren't overburdened and those few passengers seemed to be twirlies. Seems unlikely that I'll be able to do it but I was hoping to do a trip a Bristol to Chepstow then up through the Faaaarest and to Gloucester before ending back on the 62 (even with the latter now being BCT).
 

TheGrandWazoo

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How many vehicles does it use per day and what is the allocation?

It's a bit odd IIRC because I think the morning peak runs come in and then interwork with contracts. However, they don't do the same in the afternoon but you can say its probably 2 am and 3 pm. First had a similar sort of arrangement though evening peak runs were a bit different.

X14 is off peak.
 

mbonwick

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Gloucester is due Scania E400 MMCs soon. At least 20, no definitive number available. Buses are due to be displaced to North Bristol, apparently.
Not any more they're not.
As per the trading update of a few weeks ago, all vehicle orders have been cancelled with the exception of those already in build (50 E400MMCs for Manchester) and linked to contracts (i.e. TfL/London).
 

overthewater

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I had heard some where going to East Scotland very soon, ie there were being built. If nothing has even been built then that just strange rumor.
 

Stan Drews

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I had heard some where going to East Scotland very soon, ie there were being built. If nothing has even been built then that just strange rumor.
I fear that the source of this ‘rumour’ may not fully understand the implications of a factory in lockdown.
 

northken

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It's quite sad to see the SEV go. I was hoping it was the start of Stagecoach ramping up efforts in Bristol. Unfortunately, alongside the loss of the 62 and a pandemic, that doesn't seem all to likely.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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I've always thought it's stupid it wasn't extended to Cardiff. If they provided a bus service that is cheaper than rail, it would be very popular... I've done the 7XP & X14, both times, the buses were packed, and that was a stormy day in January.

Really? I doubt it.

Firstly, it would be another two vehicles to add into the cost base that is already losing a shed load of money.

Secondly, will people really be travelling that far? It's an 1 hour 17 from Bristol to Newport so with 40 mins on top of that to Cardiff plus a bit of stand time in Newport, Cardiff to Bristol would be over 2 hours.

The train takes 45 mins - granted that takes you to TM rather than the heart of the city and a return is £14. However, National Express run 10 times a day, it takes 1h10 and costs £9.

Sorry but I can't see anyone wanting to travel for two hours on an e400 to save a couple of quid.
 

carlberry

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I've always thought it's stupid it wasn't extended to Cardiff. If they provided a bus service that is cheaper than rail, it would be very popular... I've done the 7XP & X14, both times, the buses were packed, and that was a stormy day in January.
Cardiff to Newport already has local bus services and an express service. Bristol to Cardiff on a bus just isn't attractive to many people (other than pass holders), via Chepstow is even worse which is why it only lasted a few years even back in the days that lots of people used buses.
 

CharlesR

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Not any more they're not.
As per the trading update of a few weeks ago, all vehicle orders have been cancelled with the exception of those already in build (50 E400MMCs for Manchester) and linked to contracts (i.e. TfL/London).

If you actually read this thread you would’ve read the part where I stated otherwise. This post was made before this announcement was made.
 

matt_splat

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National Express already do that and I'd question the demand. If it runs non stop, you're relying on a raft of people living in central Newport who want to go to Bristol or vice versa.

the multi rides are rather popular between Bristol & Newport / Cardiff & Swansea

the 345 was due to be tweaked as will in the future so it arrived into Bristol for 08:30 also calling at the UWE
 

Mwanesh

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Megabus run a service between Bristol and Cardiff. Its always busy. I cant see anyone using a service bus that goes all over the place.
 

TheWalrus

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In my experience bus routes that run in competition with parallell rail routes don’t make money. Look at the 46 Exeter-Torquay. Was largely filled with concessions and very few fare paying customers. Now it’s been withdrawn. Was a very useful link to Torbay though.
 

TheWalrus

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Neither can I. Saying that I saw 15768 (VX61 FKA) in Westbury-on-Trym this evening (23/04) bound for Thornbury.

Dave
There are a lot of deckers out at the moment instead of older single deckers. Could be due to saving mileage and potentially more breakdowns of older vehicles or maybe to do with social distancing? Not sure but it tends to be newer buses are allocated first.
 

Dai Corner

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In my experience bus routes that run in competition with parallell rail routes don’t make money. Look at the 46 Exeter-Torquay. Was largely filled with concessions and very few fare paying customers. Now it’s been withdrawn. Was a very useful link to Torbay though.
The opening of the Ebbw Vale branch killed off the X16 Ebbw Vale -Cardiff bus.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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In my experience bus routes that run in competition with parallell rail routes don’t make money. Look at the 46 Exeter-Torquay. Was largely filled with concessions and very few fare paying customers. Now it’s been withdrawn. Was a very useful link to Torbay though.

The opening of the Ebbw Vale branch killed off the X16 Ebbw Vale -Cardiff bus.

Both these are spot on. Where express buses/coaches succeed is where they can minimise the point to point time difference. That's usually the actual distance isn't that far and is usually helped by non centrally located rail stations. For this, see Bristol to Bath, York to Leeds or Swansea to Cardiff. Also, because of the distance, the price differential isn't generally so great in actual terms (rather than as a percentage).

For long distance travel, the time differential is magnified but so is the price differential so for those on a budget, it explains with NX or Megabus still works. Note that in the last 20 years, the rail companies have been more aggressive in pricing in filling up empty seats so there are noticeably fewer coach routes as even the price difference has narrowed.

You can add plenty of examples where an invigorated rail has killed off or seriously depleted bus/coach services viz Bathgate to Edinburgh, Southend to London, Galashiels to Edinburgh.

The removal of bridge tolls saw road traffic across the bridges increase by 10% in the first few months; how many of people who used to do an unofficial park and ride in Chepstow or Magor and save the toll now just continue their drive.... It's a service whose lifecycle may just have come to an end.
 

Dai Corner

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Both these are spot on. Where express buses/coaches succeed is where they can minimise the point to point time difference. That's usually the actual distance isn't that far and is usually helped by non centrally located rail stations. For this, see Bristol to Bath, York to Leeds or Swansea to Cardiff. Also, because of the distance, the price differential isn't generally so great in actual terms (rather than as a percentage).

For long distance travel, the time differential is magnified but so is the price differential so for those on a budget, it explains with NX or Megabus still works. Note that in the last 20 years, the rail companies have been more aggressive in pricing in filling up empty seats so there are noticeably fewer coach routes as even the price difference has narrowed.

You can add plenty of examples where an invigorated rail has killed off or seriously depleted bus/coach services viz Bathgate to Edinburgh, Southend to London, Galashiels to Edinburgh.

The removal of bridge tolls saw road traffic across the bridges increase by 10% in the first few months; how many of people who used to do an unofficial park and ride in Chepstow or Magor and save the toll now just continue their drive.... It's a service whose lifecycle may just have come to an end.

The Ebbw Vale - Cardiff Rail fare is quite highly subsidised and actually cheaper than the bus fare would have been for a faster and more comfortable journey, bar overcrowding at the Cardiff end in the peaks.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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The Ebbw Vale - Cardiff Rail fare is quite highly subsidised and actually cheaper than the bus fare would have been for a faster and more comfortable journey, bar overcrowding at the Cardiff end in the peaks.

I was talking about long distance travel.

However, it is perfectly understandable why the train wins out. The reality in most cases that even if the cost is £5 more expensive a day, people will generally pay it because their time (i.e. the hour or two they gain) is more valuable. I like a nice day out on a bus for fun but not everyone will fancy being on an e400 for 3 hours a day or more!!
 

Dai Corner

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I was talking about long distance travel.

However, it is perfectly understandable why the train wins out. The reality in most cases that even if the cost is £5 more expensive a day, people will generally pay it because their time (i.e. the hour or two they gain) is more valuable. I like a nice day out on a bus for fun but not everyone will fancy being on an e400 for 3 hours a day or more!!

Indeed. I've had some odd looks when boarding in Brecon, Barry or Bridgend with a ticket issued by Newport Transport!
 
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